Nonprofit leadership: A lifelong journey that doesn't end in the classroom.

As CEO of Mi Casa Resource Center, Christine Márquez-Hudson is setting an example in nonprofit leadership

According to Christine Márquez-Hudson, she is simply “a humble representative of a much larger group of amazing people.” Christine’s work in the community, however, speaks more highly of her. As the CEO of Mi Casa Resource Center, an organization committed to the personal and professional development of the Colorado Latino community, she has gone above and beyond; so much so that she was named the 2013 9NEWS Leader of the Year.

After graduating from UCLA, Christine spent four years teaching in Costa Rica. Initially, her goal was to be a broadcast journalist, but upon returning to the United States, Christine found herself wondering where she could apply her talents and skills for a noble good.

Christine’s first U.S. nonprofit work experience came at Mi Casa in the Life Skills GED Teen Mom program. One year after joining the organization, Christine was selected by The Colorado Trust for its elite fellowship program. She was granted a full-tuition scholarship to study nonprofit management at Regis University.

After earning her Master of Nonprofit Management Christine spent several years working as a consultant in the nonprofit sector. In 2008, she was recruited to return to Mi Casa as CEO. Christine’s vision was to make the organization financially stable without being dependent on government funding. Since her return, Mi Casa’s participation rates have nearly tripled and the organization is much healthier financially.

“Mi Casa is part of a network working collaboratively to ensure that Colorado has the means necessary to ensure Latinos – the fastest-growing population in our state – are properly educated and ready for the workforce,” Christine said. “This is necessary if all of Colorado is to prosper.”

Christine credits her success to having a clear vision for the future as well as being open to learning from the past. She has also built several strategic partnerships within the nonprofit community that allow Mi Casa to offer a more comprehensive list of services. Most importantly, Christine recognizes that there are always lessons to be learned.

“Leadership development is a lifelong journey that doesn’t start or stop in the classroom,” Christine said. “It is smart to listen to others and learn because one can never know it all and will never be perfect.”